Sizzix Die Cut B-day Card

 Today is Black Friday, and No, I did not go out shopping today at all! Did a little online Christmas shopping last night though...at Black Friday prices! 

Anyway, this card, with so much black on it, I thought  would be appropriate today! This was my daughter Emily's birthday card. The whole card is a die cut from the Sizzix die* called "Card, A2 Gate Fold w/Flower Silhoutte". The flowers are 3 layers: the first layer is a matching Sizzix "Scalloped Flower"; 2nd layer is a silk polkadot flower I had; top layer is a punch out from the "Flowers & Leaves" EK Success punch, plus a rhinestone. The little flowers and ribbon are from my stash. The 2-sided cardstock is called "Out of Print" by Basic Grey*.

On the inside are 3 different stamps: the Bible verse is from My Heart Stamps For You, the "Happy Birthday" is All Night Media, and the birthday sentiment  is ???

* the starred items are available @ http://www.stampingscrapping.com/ ...I think they are part of the Black Friday Sale even! Check it out!

Thankful!

 Happy Thanksgiving to YOU!

 Yes, I'm thankful for so many things in this "Thankful" season! I'm thanking God today, first, that I may know Him...because Jesus His Son made that possible by paying for my sins on the cross; and also for the many, many blessings I experience every single day: the love of family and friends, the abundance of good "things" like my lovely home, my faithful church, plenty of food and clothing, the beauty of nature, good health...but especially the priveledge of living in a country that still treasures freedom and the people willing to serve in the armed forces to defend that freedom.

I realize that many people are not as "fortunate" as me and may find it painful to read about my blessings. I do understand that and my heart goes out to you. We all go through different seasons of our lives...this is a very pleasant one for me. But there will undoubtedly be other seasons more difficult to bear. I am thankful today that...come what may...I know I will be carried through by Someone far stronger and capable than me, my Redeemer, who reminds me each day:
"But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

And I am thankful for all my blogging/crafting friends that I have met through my cardmaking and blogging! I'm hoping & praying that each of you has a very blessed Thanksgiving holiday!
This simple card is for all of you reading this!
It's simple because it has only 2 main elements: the printed cardstock and the die cut. The cardstock is called "Hello Fall" by Best Creation; the die cut is a GEO Die, this is #10; and the sentiments are from the SSD Stamps set "Happy Fall". I also used Glue Dots and Stix 2 Anything pop squares. All of these items are available at http://www.stampingscrapping.com/ . The baler twine and the tan cardstock are from my stash.

Monochromatic Thank You Card

This pink & white Thank You card is being entered in:
http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com/  Challenge #108,  "Thankful Cards"  and
http://houseofgilli.blogspot.com/  "Monochromatic"

Ingredients:
HM stamp is "Contented Mudpie"*
   (colored w/colored pencils)
Flower is from SSD Gardenia Pack, pink & purple*
Die cuts are Spellbinders Labels 4*
Cuttlebug embossing folder
"Thank You" stamp - ??
Ribbon & Card stock are from my stash
*starred items are from StampingScrapping.com

Hope you are all having a nice, productive Friday!
Happy weekend to you all!

A "Red & White" Maggie Card

Good evening! I haven't entered any cards in challenges for a couple weeks now so that is what I'm doing tonight. I used a Magnolia image, actually 2 of them, for this "Thinking of You" card for the RED & WHITE challenge.

I don't remember the names of the 2 Maggie images, the sitting Tilda or the stack of books, but if someone does know the name(s) please let me know. I got the stamped images from a friend quite a while ago.

 The stack of books I did alter slightly...I removed the bottom book! So the stack is a little shorter but it works perfectly with Tilda because it looks like her feet are each resting on a different book. I used colored pencils again and this time I'm not so happy with the results. Oh well. Its already in the mail!

Ingredients used:

1) Card stock is all from my stash

as are the heart stickers and the red rhinestones

2) Sentiment is computer-generated

3) Bible verse is a Verve stamp

4) Spellbinders dies*: Classic Circles Lg & Labels 4

5) Glueglider PermaTac*

6) and of course, the Magnolia* images

*from StampingScrapping.com

I am entering this in the Magnolia Stamplovers "Red & White" challenge at

http://magnoliastamplovers.blogspot.com/

Oops! I jumped the gun on this one! I will have to wait until Nov. 20 to enter that challenge...this week's was supposed to be "Christmas". And I thought I was getting organized!!

New Baby: Jonathan!

Wow! Its been a couple very busy weeks around here! I now have SIX grandchildren! The new one is a tiny adorable boy-bundle named Jonathan Russell (Dad's name is Russell). He was born November 2 at about 4:30 AM, weighed 6# 4 oz. and was 19 inches. Mom (Chris) and baby did fine and they are home adjusting to a new life, actually the whole family is readjusting. His 2 older brothers play just as noisily as before and Jonathan sleeps right through it! Here he is:

I offered to make some "new baby" announcements for them. I made about 15, all just a little bit different but with the same basic BLUE card stock and the same nursery animal stamped images (from Stampin' Up). On the inside is a little form for Chris to fill out with all the pertinent data, and a Bible verse: either

• Ps. 139:13-14 "For you formed my inward parts: You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well." OR
•  Ps.127:3-5a "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them..." 

I had quite a stash of colored buttons so I attached some on most of the cards. I tried to use very flat embellishments on some of the cards so it would be easier for her to mail them. I only took a picture of the last 2 cards. In the blank area inside the card Chris will attach a wallet-size picture of Jonathan.

Autumn Anniversary

65th Anniversary card for a sweet couple at my church, Don & Alice.

Saturday was a beautiful fall day for their "open house"!

                                              

This card features 2 special items that Cindy carries at http://www.stampingscrapping.com/ :

The lacey folded die cut is from a GEO Die (this is #8)

The designer paper is from Best Creation 6x6 pad called "Hello Fall"

(the scalloped circle is one of the glitter die cuts in the set of 20 sheets)

Both of these items are easy to use so you can make a quick yet beautifully detailed card!

I also used some SSD flowers- "Flowers & Brads, Purples", but the green one

is from another pkg.- "Flowers Plus, Beige & Olive".

I have several pkgs and often mix and match colors and sizes to get the perfect layering look I want.

I love using these pretty flowers! Cindy carries such a huge variety of them...and they are only $2.84/pkg!

The little tag is half of a K & Co. die cut from the "Blue Awning" set. On that I stamped the

"Happy Anniversary" from the "Congratulations" set of Cindy's (SSD) stamps.

The ribbon, rhinestones and tan card stock are from my stash.